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Christianity Today, October, 2007 |

Gutsy Guilt

Don't let shame over sexual sin destroy you.

John Piper | posted 10/19/2007 08:27AM

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He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. This misery that I now feel because of my failure, I will bear as long as my dear God ordains. And this I know for sure—as sure as Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is my punishment and my righteousness—God will bring me out to the light, and I will look upon his righteousness, my Lord and my God.

Falling Less Often

When you learn to deal with the guilt of sexual failure by this kind brokenhearted boldness, this kind of theology, this kind of justification by faith, this kind of substitutionary atonement, this kind of gutsy guilt, you will fall less often. Why is this so? Because Christ will become increasingly precious to you.

Best of all, Satan will not be able to destroy your dream of a life of radical obedience to Christ. By this Christ-exalting gutsy guilt, thousands of you will give your lives to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.

John Piper is the pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. This article is adapted from a message delivered at Passion '07.

Related Elsewhere:

John Piper's Desiring God Ministries' resources include a blog, broadcasts, sermons, reflections, and Q&A.

Piper appeared in Christianity Today's "Passion Takes It Higher," "Young, Restless, Reformed," "What's Next: Local Church," "The Top 25 Most Influential Preachers," and "The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals." Christianity Today also reviewed his books, God is the Gospel (an excerpt is available on our site), and Don't Waste Your Life.

He wrote "The Morning I Heard God's Voice" for Christianity Today.

Other articles on sexuality and gender are available online.

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October 2007, Vol. 51, No. 10

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CatholicChic

Posted: October 31, 2007 12:45 PM


I'd like to highly recommend John Paul II"s work "The Theology of the Body, Human Love in the Divine Plan" for consideration in contemplating a holy sexuality.

JP	Posted: October 29, 2007 3:22 PM

Masturbation is a sin. It's definitely an addiction and it ruined my relationship with God not once. The way out is to fight against the thoughts that lead you to it and to forbid the spirit of lust. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get rid of it. Not until I realized I had the power to rebuke the spirits that provoked me to sin in Jesus' name. That really helped!!! Together with other precautions, of course.

Jim	Posted: October 28, 2007 2:30 PM


A novel approach, but he makes the Devil seem more real than God.

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